This actually *is* normal for springs from most suppliers these days - and
completely wrong. Originally a problem in North America they are now
cropping up in the UK, although I was able to buy OE sets with the correct
arch and hardness a few years ago. Just with the weight of the car and
spare in the boot you should be able to jack up under the spring and connect
the straps way before the body lifts off axle stands, I was even able to do
this with my chrome bumper roadster when fitting rubber bumper roadster rear
springs (which of course are quite a bit harder) as an experiment. Correct
new springs should be almost flat on a level surface with just kerb-side
weight, in fact because we tour a lot fully laden I've had to fit extended
shackles to stop grounding and bottoming over bumps. They *will* flatten
over time of course, but unless the axle is near its mid-way position with
your normal travelling loads (i.e. kerb-side plus tools, people and luggage)
you are likely to keep hitting the extent of the axle straps when coming off
the top of a bump, and when they break the brake pipe will be next! I have
posted off-car dimensions of my nearly new spare rubber bumper roadster
springs at
http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/wn_suspensionframe.htm. Click on 'Ride Height'
and it is near the bottom of the section. On-car height measurements and
typical shackle angles in that section also.
The only reason I can think of for this problem is an attempt to compensate
for the (ahem) increased bulk of modern humanity, Abingdon only made an
allowance of 150lb per person.
PaulH.
----- Original Message -----
> I have installed a set of rear leaf springs I purchased from Brown and
Gammons
> last year. They seem to have too much of an arch to them. I had to get the
aid
> of 3 people to stand in the back area of the car just to get the shock
links
> installed. The limiting straps aren't even close (still 1 1/2" away from
being
> able to fasten up).
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